Unaccounted Friendships
by Crinzin13
Summary: About two girls, Icewind and Avalon. They both have lives that are horrible, atleast that is how they see them. What will happen when they meet and team up? If NEW is beside a chapter name, and it's behind the last chapter, it's new or updated! CH 11 Up!
1. Valdemar

Hey! Guess what! I've started a new fic and this one, in my opinion, is awesome! It's being written by two people, your truly and my friend De. She writes about a girl named Avalon(sorry if it's spelled wrong) and I write about a girl named Icewind. We will write every other chapter until something special happens! :) I hope you like this one!  
  
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The frosted trees swayed in the silent breeze. The wind was light, but it could still chill you to the bone in a matter of minutes. A fifteen year- old girl, Icewind, had placed herself and her bond bird in a tree with multi-leveled branches.  
  
Icewind shivered because of the frostbiting cold. It was warm in the vale, which she could see the protective barrier of, but her father was holding a ceremony near the heart stone and didn't exactly feel like attending. 'He will never even notice my absence!' She thought to herself as the snowy white owl, her bond bird, who was diagonally above her hooted while some small brown birds fought over a fat pinecone.  
  
Her bond bird, Jana, ruffled her feathers as the first of the birds started to pull at one of the others wings. The third brown bird grabbed the pinecone while the other two were preoccupied and flew of with it into another tree.  
  
:Why you miss Starbrights ceremony?: Jana asked blinking her round, deep blue eyes at her.  
  
:Because he doesn't even want me there! He has completely ignored my presence since I was little after I didn't show and signs of mage- potential!: Icewinds eyes stung and blurred for a moment as she thought of that day her father Looked to find the potential he was hoping for when she was about seven. :The only people who care about me are you and Moondance!:  
  
Jana moved closer to Icewind so that she could nuzzle the fallen tear on her pale face. Icewind smiled as Jana sent a loving caress through their bond.  
  
:I love you for him then!: Jana hooted excitedly while ruffling her feathers for about the tenth time since they had come out here.  
  
:Thank you Jana, but I highly doubt that anyone can or will ever fill the place where his love and my mothers love was supposed to go.: Icewind scratched the back of Janas head out of habit as she thought of her life here in the vale. Her mother had died when she was little, and she had been left with only her father as a guardian until her brother, Moondance, had grown and was old enough to be qualified as one too. :Maybe it's time to take my life into my own hands. Maybe, it's time for me to do what I'm supposed to be doing with my life. Something wild and exciting. Something that's not supposed to keep me trapped here in the vale, but to take me somewhere else to fulfill my destiny. Jana, I think it might be time to leave the vale.:  
  
Jana cocked her head to the side, as much as a snowy owl could. :Why you want to leave the beautiful vale? You leave without Moondance? Without Starbright? Without me?: her last mind words were filled with deep sorrow.  
  
:No Jana, you would be with me, but Moondance and Starbright must stay here in the vale. They are needed here, unlike me. They have jobs which request that they stay here and protect those who can't themselves.: Icewind could tell that her bond bird was confused by studying their tight bond.  
  
:Who will get us out of vale? And where we go after?: Jana asked. There was confusion in her mind voice.  
  
:I was hoping that Moondance might help since he would probably understand why I would want to leave. And I was thinking of somewhere new and exciting. Like that place Rainfall was talking about. I think it was called something like..... Valdemar.:  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"No!" The young man in front of Icewind replied. His broad shoulders were tense but set into place as to reinforce what he was saying. He had been left behind after Starbrights ceremony to clean up any mess that had been created.  
  
"Moondance," Icewind complained in the most innocent voice she could manage. "You said that you would help me with everything after mom died! Don't you remember?"  
  
"I do remember, and I did say that, but I didn't agree that helping you would include runaways or anything of that sort!" Moondance, her seventeen year-old brother, replied.  
  
"Plus, I can't open a gate without knowing what the place looks like that it opens to! It might end up in some place that could get you killed!" His voice was stern and Icewind could tell that he was just being overprotective, even if he did have a point about gating her to the destination.  
  
"What if I found and brought to you a recent drawing or something? Would that work?" She prayed in her head that she had found a weakness that the problem had.  
  
"That might be a little more helpful and it just might work, but we'll have to see if you can come up with one. After that we will have to see if I will help you or not. Don't get your hopes up!" Moondance looked sternly at her as he kicked a stone off the worn path.  
  
"I promise with all my heart and soul that my hopes are as low as you see them fit." she tried to use bigger words and a better sentence structure to try to convince him that she was older and more mature than he thought she was. She jogged off in the direction of their ekele.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Icewinds black hair fell into her face as she bent over the book she was currently brushing through. You could see the resemblance to her mother now that she was older. Her mother had been a Shin'a'in from the Dorisha Planes, and Icewind inherited her strong build, beautiful features and determined attitude. The only thing that set her apart from her dead mother, was that she was strongly bonded to a medium sized snowy owl. This characteristic came from her Tayledras father.  
  
Her ruthless search had sent her all over the vale looking for any books that had to do with any other place then the vale. The scenic picture she was hoping for had not yet turned up although she had searched through so many books, that she hardly even knew what she was looking for at the end of each and every day. Books were piled wherever there was space for them except on her bed and a wide path that was from her bed to other pieces of furniture and the stairs that lead downstairs. Her room was the top compartment in the ekele, so on one entered her room accept for her.  
  
:Icewind,: Jana mind spoke from her perch beside Icewinds bed. :We go outside now?:  
  
:Sure, I want to talk to Rainfall anyway. I'm sure he has some idea about Valdemar since he is the one who talks about it all the time!: Icewind replied.  
  
Once outside, she traveled the worn dirt path past the hot springs that was currently unoccupied and up to another giant tree that held the ekele belonging to him. She hoped Rainfall was there since she needed this overflowing fountain of information that he had stored in his brain somewhere.  
  
As she climbed the ladder, she though of how long she had known her best friend Rainfall. That was when she realized that if she left the vale like she planned, she would be leaving the only real friend she had known during her difficult childhood. She soon realized how much she was really going to miss him. The feeling she experienced was new and unknown to her until then. She climbed the rest of ladder and into the first room with a heavy heart.  
  
"Rainfall, are you home?" Icewind called up towards the room she knew as his. He had moved away from his parents last year and enjoyed the freedom of not having to get up at unholy hours in the morning when they left to do jobs and requests.  
  
"One minute," Rainfall called groggily from up the stairs. It sounded as if he had been up longer than she had and the call was his first realization of how fast morning had come by waking him up.  
  
"Have you been asleep all day so far?" She called as she heard the familiar sound of someone falling out of his bed. His long bedtime book reads kept him up late most nights when he got lost in their pages, even if they were about the strangest things she had ever heard. She heard him fall out of his bed more than twice a week on average.  
  
"Yes, and you should be happy about it! Come on up now and see." He called as she heard him shuffle around above her.  
  
When she arrived in his sleeping quarters, he was only wearing his breeches and his shoulder muscles were tense from what she saw. He had his back turned to her and was looking through a pile of overused books on the table at the end of his bed. He mumbled something about not finding something and moved on to another pile.  
  
"Why would I be happy about you staying up all night?" She asked sarcastically. She thought for a minute and feigned a surprised tone as she replied, "Did you finally trade feathers with someone?" She laughed as he added a quick "no" when he turned around to find another pile.  
  
"I was looking through my many books," he waved at all the piles and shelves of books around them. He found another pile of about fifteen books and started sifting again this time fishing out a book entitled, "The countries around us." He handed it to her jokingly as if she didn't deserve it. "It has information and pictures of almost every country around here, even the legendary Valdemar." Icewind gave him a startled look. She was expecting some help, but not this much! "I was hoping that if you knew I was helping you to get there, you might let me join you on this adventure." He flashed her one of his all too familiar smiles.  
  
"You are the greatest friend anyone could ever have Rainfall!" She hugged him tightly, which he was not exactly expecting. She could feel his muscles loosen up underneath her.  
  
"So you'll let me join you on your move?" He asked hopefully while returning her hug.  
  
"Yes, you are welcome to join me, after all, I won't know anyone there and a normal face will probably make me more comfortable!" She paused for a moment which was soon followed by having a confused expression embrace her face. "How did you find out about my plans to adventure to Valdemar?" She backed up a few paces so that she could look him in the eye since he was quite a bit taller than her since his latest growth spurt.  
  
"Your brother figured the since you know me so well, and that I probably had some information on Valdemar, that I should know. He really seems like he thought it over really well and wants you to go. You aren't mad, are you?" He looked a bit guilty for not informing her earlier.  
  
At that moment, Pedri, Rainfalls bond bird, flew in with a small mouse in his beak. He was soon followed by a screeching Jana. She chased him around the room until she cam close enough to ram him so that he dropped his prized possession. Jana quickly snatched it from the floor and perched herself on the window sill.  
  
:Bad bird stole Janas lunch!: Jana mid spoke while ripping the mouse apart hastily. Icewind heard a chuckle from Rainfall that told her that Pedri had informed him of his little joke that he had played on Jana. Pedri and Jana were constantly at each others thought because of the jokes they played upon each other. They never seemed to get that what each was doing to the other was just for fun and not for torment.  
  
"Birds are the strangest creatures, other than us, that I know!" He said while opening a small wooden box that was carved to look like a small owl, which Pedri was. He pulled out half a chipmunk and passed it to him for his lunch.  
  
"Well, I had better leave and get this book to Moondance if we are going to leave when I plan to. You and I better get packing my friend." She pondered for something to say that would get him moving faster. "I guess that you will have fun with those books of yours!" She smiled as he realized what she meant.  
  
Icewind laughed and signaled for Jana to take off as she swallowed the last of her meal. "I'll talk to you later about when we can leave and what we really need to bring." She waved and disappeared down the ladder before he could reply.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Icewind found Moondance outside of the vale practicing his weaker magic with another adept. This was one of the new hobbies that younger Tayledras participated in that adults disapproved of.  
  
"Moondance, Nightsong!" She yelled in her most adult like voice. Both boys quickly stopped and turned their sweaty bodies so that they were facing her. Both looked guilty until they realized that it was not an adult, but only Moondances younger sister. "Sorry, but there was no other way to stop you unless I had mage powers myself." She smiled and held up the book that she was carrying for Moondance to see what it was.  
  
"I see you have been to see Rainfall. His mountains of books have finally come into great use for you. I told him of your wishes to leave and he was happy to look. I believe he said something about hopefully coming with you." Moondance said while wiping his forehead with a piece of cloth that he had brought out for that exact purpose.  
  
"You want to leave the vale Icewind?" Nightsong asked. He was Moondances childhood friend like Rainfall was to Icewind. They had known each other for so long, that they didn't even remember when exactly they had met. He loved the vale more than anything in his life and had sworn to everyone in the vale that he would never leave for more than even a couple hours, unless duty called for it.  
  
"Yes, I'm going to go to Valdemar with Rainfall. We don't feel as welcome here as you do." Icewind explained to him. She figured that he would never get what she was trying to explain though.  
  
Moondance walked up to her and took the book. He flipped to the index and then flipped to another page. He quickly scanned the information on the first page and when he turned to the second he exclaimed, "This will work perfectly. Icewind, I have been thinking about what you said about your life being miserable since mother died. When I really thought, I noticed that yes your life has been terrible, and that I feel that you need to start making your own choices in life and making your own mistakes. I hope you know that if you go through with this, you probably won't ever be able to come back unless you find a mage there that has been here. I have heard of no such person and I thought you might want to know that. I will help you leave the vale, just like I promised when mother died." He turned to his friend "Nightsong, I need to go, I need to rest up." Moondance then looked back at Icewind with an expression of worry and sorrow, "Icewind, I will tell you this, if you want to leave, tonight is the best night to do that. Father has nothing planned so he will go to bed earlier than normal. this will give us an advantage to gating without him noticing. Go tell Rainfall and get ready." he walked off and headed for their ekele.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The night had almost arrived and Starbright was in his room of their ekele. Icewind had told him that she was staying at Rainfalls for the night. She had written him a six page note explaining where she had gone and why she left. She hoped that he would understand what she meant and realized how heartless he has been if he even cared the slightest bit about her.  
  
Moondance was getting ready for the gating. Rainfall and she were ready with all they thought was good to bring. Nightsong had come to see them off.  
  
"Alright you two, I'm ready to do this." Moondance walked up to Rainfall and Icewind. Rainfall handed him a note that was for his parents that explained what was going on. Moondance then looked at her. "Icewind, I promised our mother that I would protect you from everything I could. The other night when I was thinking, I realized that I had broken that promise and now I owe you a lot. This is breaking that promise again, but this is what you want, and mother would have been proud to see you take your own life into your own hands. I want you to know that if you ever need me, I'll be in your heart and you just need to look their to find me. Please take care of yourself." He hugged her tightly and as they were ending the embrace, he slipped a letter with her name on it into her hand.  
  
"I will Moondance. Plus, Rainfall is coming and he won't let anyone lay a hand on me without my consent. I love you and I will also always be in your heart. Don't forget me." She smiled and he nodded.  
  
Moondance moved towards the stone arch used for gating and began the spell. When he was finished, they gave each other hugs and quick words of good- bye, even Nightsong. Icewind and Rainfall glanced back at their original home and looked at each other. They held hands for protection from fear and ran through the gate leaving the home they had known for so long.  
  
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What do you think? Good? Not good? Well review me please!!! I need some comments other than the good ones that my friends tell me! I need some hints. Too much description? Not enough? Not long enough? Too long? Just please give me an answer to some of my questions! Thanks! Chapters two and three will be up soon! 


	2. The First Travel to Haven

This is the second chapter!!! WOW! Two chapters in one day! And the same day! Lol. nevermind me. The only reason that they are both mad is cause De wrote the second chapter before I even put the first one on the internet So, here is chapter two, I hope you like it! :)  
  
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The temperature was not as cold in Forst Reach as outside the vale Icewind had just left, nor was the wind as biting, but to the fourteen-year- old girl who knelt weeping, in the drafty stable, it seemed cold enough.  
  
Avalon Rayn Ashkevron rested her head in her arms on a bale of sweet- smelling hay. The familiar sights, sounds and smells of the stables slowed her tears and calmed her sobs, but could not change the cause of her weeping.  
  
She missed Vanyel.  
  
Her beloved cousin had left only short days ago, but to Avalon it seemed years. She touched the necklace he had given her before he left- a fine silver chain, off of which dangled a silver charm of a running stallion. Van had winked and told her it was a companion then turned it around and showed her, her name engraved on the back. There was space for another name, he'd said- the name of a companion. Her companion.  
  
Another tear slid down Avalon's cheek. Vanyel was the only one who'd had faith in her, who had believed her ultimate dream- to become a herald. He'd never stopped encouraging her, though she herself knew that she was too weak, too fragile to be chosen. Didn't heralds always have some special talent or ability? Avalon had none. He was nothing special.  
  
Avalon sighed and slipped the pendant back under her tunic. The other name would never be carved onto it. There would be no other name.  
  
Stardust, the stallion whose stall she now shared turned and looked at her, whickering softly. She smiled sadly at him and began speaking quietly aloud.  
  
"Did you know it's my birthday, Stardust? Van was the only other one who knew. I wonder is he's thinking of me, down there in Haven. He said he's see me soon, when I got chosen. I miss him so much-" Her voice caught and she fought back a fresh wave of tears.  
  
The stallion sided up to her and nudged her with his nose. She put her arms about his neck and rested her forehead on his chest "Why did Van believe in me so much, Star?"  
  
:Maybe because you're worth believing in.:  
  
Avalon jumped backwards away from the horse, hitting her head on the stall door and spooking the other horses. Star, however, stood still and calm; she fancied she could even see a hint of amusement in the sky-blue eyes.  
  
Wait a second, sky-blue? Star's eyes were brown! And his coat was dusty grey, no the pure, untouched white it was now.  
  
"Wh-what are you?" She stammered.  
  
Again she heard that... voice, in her mind, tinged with that same wry amusement.  
  
:You know, it would have been more polite to ask who I am. But in answer, I am the companion Kavrin-:  
  
Avalon gasped and looked into the deep blue eyes again..  
  
:-and I choose you.:  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Avalon stood beside Kavrin just outside Forst Reach, staring off into the distance in the direction of Haven.  
  
:What are you thinking, love?: Kavrin nuzzled her gently. He was carrying the two saddlebags that contained all of the possessions she'd waned to bring with her. She draped one arm over his neck.  
  
:I'm thinking of how sudden this all was,: She replied in the Mindspeech she'd picked up fairly quickly with Kavrin's help. :I still can't get over the fact that I was chosen!:  
  
:Well, now you have another name to carve on that trinket of yours. Come on, dearest, get up. Let's go home.:  
  
Avalon mounted her companion and the two figured rode off in the direction of Haven.  
  
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	3. Two Surprising Events

Hey! I know that this is really sudden for me to be putting all these chapters up all at once, but I just keep getting good ideas and De just keeps writing the ones after mine... lol. I'll get some more up some other time! :)  
  
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Starbright flung himself out of his bed. This beaded and feathered hair hit him in the face as he landed on the floor. He had Felt the unforgettable Feel of a gate being opened. He knew that the other mages and magic sensitive Tayledras were probably also up and running.  
  
His first instinct was that of an intruder, until he realized that the Feel of the magic being used.  
  
This was the kind that was made when someone inside the vale was creating it. He raced to his window and flung open the shutter like covers to find something quite surprising.  
  
Starbright looked towards the clearing where the nicely carved stone arch was and saw who exactly had created the gate. His own son, Moondance, was standing in front of the arch finishing the spell. He wondered why his son had created the gate, until he saw who was by his side that he was saying farewell to. His daughter, Icewind, had a pack flung onto her back, as well as her friends, Rainfall, who was directly beside her.  
  
Starbright bolted down and out of the ekele towards the arch. His bed robes were blowing furiously behind him as he raced towards his departing child.  
  
As Starbright entered the clearing, he saw the last of his Shin'a'in resembling daughter run through the gate holding tightly onto the hand of her best friend, or was it more than friendship? 'No time to think about that,' he thought as he reached Moondance and Nightsong. It was too late, just as he was about to stop Moondance, he closed the gate once and for all. Now the only way to get to his daughter was to try and get him to re- open the gate.  
  
Starbright let out a cry as he realized that his daughter was officially gone, and that it was probably mostly his own fault for her sever actions. He though of how he had been so busy with the vale after her mother had died that he did not have much time for her. Also, just seeing her face, reminded him of his beloved wife. The sank to his knees as he remembered why he had pretty well ignored her through out her childhood.  
  
"Moondance! How could you?" Rainfalls mother, Summerice screamed at him as she pounded on his chest. Starbright had not seen her or her husband, Winterrain, come up.  
  
"How could you just open up a gate and let my only child waltz right into it and leave the vale? Why Moondance? Why?" She asked between sobs. Summerice was still pounding on Moondance with her strong fists, which were getting weaker by the second. Moondance said nothing but pushed her flailing hands aside. She turned and sobbed into Winterrain. Moondance knelt down beside Starbright who was still on his knees on the soft ground. "I am sorry father, but I cannot be the only one here blamed for Icewind's choices."  
  
Starbright thought for a moment and then stood up, though he was still a bit shaky. "Moondance, I know now what I have done and what I should have done before. But, we will discuss this tomorrow, after all, now we all need rest and thinking time to ourselves. I will see you all in the morning in the conference room, including you and Nightsong." He glanced at his son. Starbright tried to address all the forth coming adepts with distinction and he knew he had somewhere inside of him, while still showing his slight disappointment in his son. "Good night to you all."  
  
Starbright walked away towards his ekele and signaled for Moondance to follow in the same form. He also waved as if to tell the others that they should again retire for the night, though he knew that some would not even sleep a bit, like Summerice and Winterrain.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kayo woke with a jolt. He felt a kind of pulling on him that he had never experienced before. It was like something was pulling his mind towards a certain direction. My chosen! Was his first reaction to it since he had, had the same feeling described to him by another companion that had chosen a few years back. Kayo had been waiting for this day for almost seven years, and finally he would be able to start to feel like a normal companion.  
  
Kayo had been a energetic colt when he was young and everyone used to tell him that he would find his chosen easily. He had hoped since he was three that this feeling would come soon, but it had not come until this very moment.  
  
He realized that he should get someone to tack him up and get going so that he could find this person as soon as possible since he did not know if they were in trouble or just were finally ready for him to be called to them. He was about to rise and leave for the stable, since he was in Companion's Field, until he remembered that his twin sister, Kara, had her head rested on his withers.  
  
Kayo was about to nudge her to wake her, when she too woke with a jolt. She stared into space for a moment before talking to him.  
  
:Kayo, I must leave. I have heard and felt my call to find my chosen. I'm sorry that I have gotten mine sooner than you have gotten yours, I know how much you wanted yours.: Kara said staring at him with her sapphire blue eyes. He could see that she was truly sorry. Kara had always known how much he just wanted to be like the others and get his chosen. She had always believed in him while still hoping for her time as well.  
  
:Kara, I too have received my call to find my chosen, we can go with each other until we Feel it pull us in a different direction if you want.: Kayo wanted her to come with him since they had done everything the same and together since they were born, after all, they were twins.  
  
Kara lurched to a standing position and looked down on him. Her gaze was surprise and sympathy all in one emotion. :I would love that! I'm nervous about this whole thing.: She turned her head in the direction of the stable. :We should go to the stable. I think the stable boys are ready for this occasion at almost any time.:  
  
Kayo bobbed his head up and down in agreement. He liked the idea of traveling together and he too agreed that this experience was nerve- racking. Just as he started to step forward, he heard the familiar crack of thunder in the distance. :I think if we don't hurry, we'll end up finding our chosens soaking wet and freezing cold, and I'm not really fond of the idea of taking a blanket with me!:  
  
With that, Kayo and Kara trotted off to the barn and waited as the sleepy-eyed stable boys grabbed their tack, hauled it over and quickly saddled them up. They only gave each other a glance before taking off at a slow canter towards one of Haven's many exits.  
  
:I can tell that no one will be out tonight seeing how heavy the air smells of rain.: Kayo mindspoke to his twin who was directly on his tail. She was as anxious as he to get to the special people they had both been waiting so long for.  
  
:You never know, humans don't seem to be as scent prone as the other creatures that walk these places!: Kara said dodging a cart that had been left out after the darkness had fallen. Their night vision was superb and they could make out every out of place shape that came in their way.  
  
The two streaks of white raced through the tunnel at the end of the city and felt a wave of exhilaration as their silver hooves hit the hard dirt.  
  
They traveled for nearly a candlemark when Kayo noticed something different about the Feel in his head. It was stronger now that it had been the whole time and wondered if he was getting closer to his him, or her, whatever they were. 'Her' he thought while finding new information about his chosen. He could Feel a steady trickle of information leaking into his mind. She was different than most people, from a different land, at least. He could sense that she was confused and scared by being gated to a place she knew nothing about. He wanted to find her fast before she became terrified.  
  
:Kayo, should we have split apart by now? We are slowing down and I can Feel the pull getting stronger. Are you sure you are heading in the right direction?: His sister mindsent. He could tell she was confused about this. He was just as confused.  
  
'Can one person be chosen by two companions? It's never happened before.' He thought about the possibility until he saw why this all was so completely different about what he had been told about. There were two people standing in the clearing to the right of them and the Pull on him was stronger than ever. He and his sister had either been bonded to a pair of siblings, or a pair of friends.  
  
:Kayo, do you see what I see?: Kara sounded surprised.  
  
:If you are talking about two people standing in a clearing to our right, then yes I do see what you see.:  
  
:No, look closer. Look towards their shoulders and their clothes.:  
  
In the slight moonlight, and between distant flashes of lightning, he realized where this pair of humans had come from. They were wearing clothing unlike any he had seen before, accept in books that his old friend, Savil, had shown him. The pair also had the advanced Tayledras bond birds perched on their worried shoulders. These were no normal humans, they were a pair of legendary Tayledras!  
  
:Kara, I am now very glad that we took those lessons with Savil that one summer a few years ago! That language that she taught us will come in handy really soon!: Kayo tried to remember all the other hints and tips she had shared about these mystical people, and their strange language. 'Will I be able to remember how to speak it all? Will I mess up completely?' There was only one thing that he and his sister could do at this point in time, and that was just try it out, while at the same time, try not to mess up!  
  
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What do you think? Three chapters in only a couple of days! Must be a record time for me! lol! I'll try to get the fourth chapter up, but no one can rush the art of writing! (though many have tried!)  
  
P.S. The fifth chapter will probably be written and ready to go before the fourth one gets typed out! So count on two more chapters coming one right after the other some time soon! 


	4. Warm Welcome

Here is that long awaited Avalon chapter! :) I know it's been a long time since I have put one of these up, but I've been to busy with school work and that kind of stuff lately to post any more chapters. Also, I was reading Alta, which as VERY good, and write the first and second chapters of the new fic I started for that book! Lol..... anyway, since you want to read this, here it is! Enjoy!

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Avalon's first impression of the city was its size. Having never been outside of Forst Reach, she had known in an abstract way, that cities were big- but she hadn't expected the sheer size of this place. As she rode Kavrin up to the gates, she didn't see the two Guardsmen that stood in front of it, due to the fact that she'd been too busy staring at all the buildings. So when one of them greeted her cheerfully from the vicinity of her left knee, she started violently and nearly fell out of the saddle.

The Guardsman had the good grace not to laugh, but she saw the merry twinkle in his eye and realized that he had probably seen the same thing many times in newly Chosen. She smiled faintly at him as he waved her through, sparing only a glance for his friend. Suddenly all she wanted was to get to the Collegium and see her cousin again.

As it turned out, though, she didn't have to wait that long, for just inside the gate, she was accosted by a dark-haired blur that dragged her out of Kavrin's saddle and enveloped her in a hug.

"I told you, Avalon! I told you you'd be Chosen!" crowed Vanyel triumphantly. "I knew I was right!"

"What else is new?" laughed Avalon. "You're always right, Van." She hugged him tighter. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, kid," he whispered as he released her. Just then a figure that had been following Vanyel (though at a slightly more dignified pace) caught up to them and resolved itself into Aunt Savil. The old woman smiled wryly at Avalon.

"Hello, child. Under different circumstances, I would welcome you to the Herald's Collegium, but this scamp decided he couldn't wait until you got there to see you, So..." she waved her hand. "Welcome t Haven."

Avalon smiled shyly at her aunt, still clinging to Vanyel's arm. "Thank you. Aunt Savil. I'm very glad to be here."

"I can see that." said Svail dryly. "Come on, we should get to the Collegium. This fool Kavrin should know that you'd need a rest after the riding you've been doing." Without any further remark, the old Herald turned and began walking back the way she's come.

"Come on," Vanyel urged, tugging at Avalon's arm. "We'd better follow Aunt Savil- I'm not so sure I know how to get back by myself yet."

Avalon followed her cousin, Kavrin beside her, feeling truly complete for the first time since Van had left Forst Reach.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The shorter of the two Guardsmen at the gate, the one who had startles Avalon moments before, watched the girl disappear around a corner, then turned to his comrade. Joss was staring at the place where the young woman had last been visible, an odd look in his brown eyes. Calhan chuckled, and the sound jolted the lanky blond man from his daze. Joss turned to his friend, blinking, and Cal suppressed another laugh at the expression on Joss' face. The kid was obviously moonstruck. The older Guard schooled his expression carefully and gazed off into the blue sky. "Pretty, wasn't she?"

"Yeah, I guess she was, " Joss agreed, his tone of voice so carefully casual that even an idiot could tell it was feigned.

"About you age, too, I'd think." Cal noted.

"Yeah..." Suddenly Joss gave his friend a penetrating stare. "Where are you going with this Cal?"

The older man smirked. "I dunno, why?"

Joss sighed and gazed off into the distance. "She was with that man, you moron."

"I dunno, kid, I thought I heard them both call that older woman 'Aunt.' Wouldn't that mean they're either sibs or cousins?" Cal knew that was a pint Joss couldn't refute.

"Hey, listen, Cal. She's a Herald-Trainee. I'm a Guardsman she didn't even look twice at. Just give it up." Joss went back to staring into the distance, and so did Cal, but both of them were thinking their own thoughts that were deeper than anything they'd been thinking before Avalon had passed by.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Avalon was amazed st the arm welcome she got from Svail's other Trainees. For once, she was meeting people who didn't see her as 'Vanyel's cousin' but as 'Avalon Rayn Ashkevron.' It was strange but exhilarating, the same way this who experience had been strange, but exhilarating.

But now, she was about ready for a good long sleep. the events of the day, while wonderful, had left her quite thoroughly exhausted. As she slid in between the warm covers of her new bed, she hardly had time to Mindspeak a sleepy goodnight to Kavrin before she slipped into dreamland.

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Well? What do you think? Another Avalon chapter, and another coming soon after it! Wait and see what happens next! :)


	5. The Second Travel to Haven

Hello! I know that there is supposed to be a chapter about Avalon here, but De is busy and I already have this one ready to go up so I'm putting it up and I'll change it to chapter 5 instead of 4 when her chapter is done and typed out! :) Well, I should stall anymore! Happy reading  
  
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Icewind looked out across the clearing in which she, Rainfall and their bond birds had been gated to. It was warm here, unlike the cold which was outside of the vale that she had just left.  
  
'So this is Valdemar' she thought to herself while looking at the beautiful blooming flowers which were in bushes along the clearing. The grass was long, which meant that this area had not been in use by anyone in a long time. 'Maybe it had been used as a gating area before, the arch is quite worn away on the inner side, which is a sign that at least a couple gating experiences happened here.'  
  
"It's so much nicer than in the pictures that I have seen." Rainfall said spinning in circles slowly while trying to take in everything at the same time. "I've seen a couple pictures, but most of them were drawn in black ink with no colour added. This is beautiful. Can we stay here for the night so that in the morning I would be able to study a bit before actually contacting any civilization?" Rainfall asked while pulling a sweet-smelling rose off of a bush off to the side of the clearing. He smelled it and then passed it on to her so that she too could smell its wonderful scent.  
  
"It's fine by me. I just want to get some sleep. That gate made me awfully tired and I just want some rest in this quite sanctuary for a little while. I'm sure their towns, or whatever you called them, are busy since you said that they have big groups of people in one spot." Icewind said walking around and testing the softness in different parts of the grass. She finally found what she was looking for and laid her pack on the ground. The pack was heavy, but she wished that she had brought some more of her belongings with them on the trip. She thought about how many books Rainfall had, had to leave behind. She wished that, since they were his most favorite things, she could have carried some more of them since he pack was much lighter than his and she could have carried more.  
  
Icewind concentrated on what ones he had left behind, and which of those he had especially loved. She remembered seeing him place down some books about the mage wars that he'd read about four times by now. She also remembered the one about mind speaking, the one about different spirits, and a couple about the Tayledras themselves. She imagined them somehow magically appearing in the clearing, right in front of her.  
  
Rainfall was off looking at some of the tree that had been growing in the center of the clearing when she thought of this. She imagined seeing him jump with surprise as the books plopped onto the ground. Just as she started to smile about how absurd this idea was, she heard a couple of loud thumps which were slightly muffled by the soft over-grown grass.  
  
Icewind opened her eyes to see that she was sitting on her think blanket right in front of the very same books she had just recalled. She just stared at them and wondered if she was just imagining them there. As she tried to prove herself wrong, she heard a surprised gasp from Rainfall and he briskly walked over to her and the pile of books.  
  
"Where did these come from?" He asked picking up the one about the Mage Wars. "I left these in the vale, in my ekele! Icewind, did you bring them for me?" He asked while flipping through the pages.  
  
"N-no, I didn't bring them in my pack. I-I was just remembering them in my head and imagined that they were here, and poof, they landed on the ground!" Icewind was a little shaky, but she stood anyway. Icewind looked down on the books and tried to remember exactly what she did.  
  
"Icewind! Why didn't you tell me that you had the Fetching Gift?" He said. He was so happy that Icewind had brought his books, he paid no attention to the fact that she might not have even known that she could do such a thing.  
  
"I have a w-what?" She stuttered.  
  
"A Gift, you can use the Gift called Fetching, and you're really good at it. Not many people have this Gift and most can't use it to their advantage without extensive training." He explained to her. Then it dawned on him, she hadn't known that she had a Gift, and she hadn't had any training for it. It was a miracle that she hadn't had any problems with it before. He Gift was strong, if it wasn't, she would not have been able to bring something that large across that length of space.  
  
"I-I didn't know that I had this Fetching ability. And, I've no training. Does that mean that something is wrong with me?" She was afraid of what she had done, especially sine Rainfall had said that most people could not do what she just did without having been trained for doing so.  
  
"I said that most people have to get it trained, but I've read about some times where some people have had gifts, yours included, and they needed no such training. Most of them were very dangerous because when they first were able to use the Gift to their advantage, they thought that they had been blessed with a gift that no one else could or had, had. You are just lucky that I'm here with you and that I'm able to explain this whole thing to you." Rainfall thought for a minute, at least to Icewind, that was what he looked to be doing. "Did you have to leave anything behind in the vale that you want now?"  
  
"Y-yes, I left a trinket that my father gave me when I had been little. I didn't bring it because I was mad at him at that point. I would really like it now. Why?" She looked at him with confusion.  
  
"Well, we need to make sure that you know how to use this Gift so that you don't happen to bring another thing to you without really wanting it. I know you wanted my books here, but that wouldn't have come handy if we had been gated to a place where it would not have been a good time to have them show up. Do what you just did with my books, accept this time think about your trinket instead of my books. While you are doing that, hold you hand out and lastly think of it being in your hand and not on the ground." He wanted to see if she would be able to do this with something small, then with something large.  
  
Icewind concentrated on having her small trinket in her hand. The trinket had been placed in a small carved box that looked like a deer. There were books on top of the box, but she just wanted the trinket, and the box it was in since both had been given to her by her father when she was about four or five years old. As she thought of the item, she thought about seeing it in her hand. She thought as hard as she could, and she was rewarded by feeling something land in her hand. Icewind opened her eyes and looked down. The little carved box that she had been given was sitting in her palm  
  
"Icewind! That's amazing! I can't believe that your gift has not yet been active. Your Gift is strong, at least, stronger than most people's Gifts!" He was smiling. He cocked his head slightly to the left as if listening to something that was coming. "Pedri says that there are two spooked horses cantering down the road. Ah, yes, I hear them now."  
  
Icewind strained her ears to here their hooves beating on the dirt road. "Should we try to stop them? Or should were assume that their riders or owners will be following them to retrieve them?"  
  
Rainfall had no time to answer her question, because just as he made up his mind, the two white horses slowed to a walk right in front of the clearing and stared at them.  
  
'Wait one minute, those are not horses! Those are spirits!" She could see the aura of white light surrounding both of them. Icewind was confused, as was Rainfall about why these two beings would stumble upon them at this odd moment.  
  
The larger of the two walked slowly up to her while the smaller one followed behind him, accept she went to facing Rainfall instead of her.  
  
:Icewind, I am the companion Kayo. I choose you.: He mindspoke to her. She felt something inside of her attach it's self to this, companion, as he called himself. It was the same feeling as when she had bonded to her snowy owl, Jana. :I am sure that you have no clue what I mean by those three words I just spoke to you, do you?: He asked her after sensing her confusion.  
  
:No, I do not know what you mean by those words that you spoke, but I'm sure that my friend Rainfall would.: She glanced at him. He looked dumbstruck and so amazed that she could swear that he felt as if he had died and gone to heaven.  
  
"Rainfall, are you still there?" she asked him while shaking his shoulder slightly. He made a slight squeak-like sound which was to tell her that he was still listening to her.   
  
"What does 'I choose you' mean?" She whispered into his ear.  
  
He quickly snapped out of his trance and showed her a secret that she knew nothing of. He was able to mindspeak to anyone he wished. :I feel as if I say this aloud, they will be insulted, but that phrase you just repeated means that your companion has chosen you to help Valdemar. You have been allowed to become a Herald of Valdemar. Almost any child in Valdemar would kill to be in our shoes!:  
  
She was confused. She had asked him about what Kayo had said to her, but did Kayo also say that to Rainfall? Was this, companion bonded to him as well as her? Then it dawned on her, there was another companion in this field other than Kayo, the female in front of Rainfall. She must be the one who said that to him.  
  
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What'd you think about it? I like it since this is the chapter where my character acctually finds out that she has something about her that her father might have liked. Also, this is where she gets chosen, so it's also cool with that, anyway, the following chapters will be up when they are written, and I'm also starting two new fics which I will only tell you that they are called Eternity and Ultimate Power, and that they will hopefully be up soon. :) 


	6. Jealousy, What to do?

Another Avalon chapter! De and I are right in the middle of trying to decide where exactly this fic is going. Don't worry, we have a rough idea and just need to smooth over the flaws! Well, I'll try to get as many chapters up as possible and just hope that this is not going to be like one of my other fic, which turns into a dead one!  
  
P.S. I'm thinking of changing the name, since it's not like my usual preferences! Normally, I just choose names that either, 1 have nothing to do with the story, or 2 only have a little to do with it! Anyway, if you think you have a good idea for us, please put in a review and we'll consider it! Thanks!  
  
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"Hmm… Strong Mindspeech, even stronger Animal Mindspeech, medium-strength Empathy, a touch of Foresight and just a tiny bit of the Mage-Gift." Herald Svail smiled warmly at her niece, Avalon. "An excellent combination of Gifts."  
  
Avalon smiled absently back, still trying to come to terms with these new Gifts of hers. True, she had always been good with animals, but she'd never thought it meant anything in particular. And she'd always been able to tell when some minor catastrophe was about to happen- like a clumsy servant dropping a tray on the narrow stairs- and had sometimes been able to react in time to avert disaster, but she'd assumed that was only good reflexes.  
  
But now, learning that she had all these Gifts, really and truly had them (Kavrin was the living breathing, very sarcastic proof) was a bit overwhelming.  
  
Savil's face took on a slightly more serious expression. "Now, about your cousin…"  
  
Avalon instantly snapped back to reality. "What about Van?"  
  
"Well, you may not have noticed this, so I'll come to the point. My dear, as happy as Vanyel may seem for you, I think he's just a bit jealous."  
  
She stared at her aunt in astonishment and no small measure of disbelief. "Van? Jealous of me? Aunt Savil, are you crazy?" The words slipped out before she could stop them, and upon realizing what she'd just said, she blushed a brilliant scarlet and gazed fixedly at the floor.  
  
To Avalon's surprise, however, instead of her aunt being angry, the old woman let out a bark of laughter and hugged her niece. "Actually, there are those who hold that opinion of me, but that's beside the point. It may come to a surprise to you, child, but he really does have a good reason to be jealous. You are very beautiful, and very talented. But what he's really jealous of is the fact that you were Chosen. He doesn't seem to grasp the hardships involved in being a Herald."  
  
:She's right, love, on all counts,: Kavrin interjected, making Avalon start in surprise.  
  
:You were eavesdropping!: She accused, and got a dry, mental chuckle from her Companion.  
  
:Guilty as charged, love.:  
  
"Anyways," Svail said recapturing Avalon's attention, "there's something you can do to solve it. Make sure he knows how difficult this all is. Don't complain, and you can go ahead and talk about the good things, but make sure that he knows the dirty side of being a Herald-Trainee too."  
  
"All right, Aunt Savil. I think I can do that." This wouldn't be so hard… she hoped.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Joss lay on the grass in a small meadow just outside of Haven, staring up at the multitude of stars. He always came to this one litle place when he needed to think, and he desperately needed to think right now.  
  
Had it only been just over a day since that beautiful young woman had come through the gates of Haven on a shining Companion, and been so blinded by the city, that Cal had almost scared her out of the saddle? It seemed like just a candle mark ago, and yet at the same time, an eternity.  
  
He'd heard of life bonds before, of course, and that was certainly how he felt now. For some reason, that diminutive girl had become part of him. But he knew that she hadn't even noticed him, and he'd probably never see him again. Even if he did, it would be a casual 'hello' in the street.  
  
He'd never felt so alone before in his life.  
  
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Another Avalon chapter completed! Isn't it wonderful? Again, if you happen to have an idea for a new name for this fic, please let me know and De and I can and will discuss it, but I can't promise anything! Remember to put it into a review for this story! Thanks! 


	7. Rainfall Speaks up

Hey! This is the next chapter, sorry for not having and Avalon chapters, De is quite busy and she also has other fics to continue! :) I have gotten quite a few reviews so far and I like that, so please continue telling me what I can fix and what I should leave alone!  
  
P.S. This is to Fireblade K'Chona, who mentioned the fact that Icewind's brother's name is Moondance, which is also the name of one of the Tayledras in the Last Herald-Mage trilogy. Yes, I did notice this before, but forgot to mention that they are two completely different people from two completely different vales. One from K'Sheyna and the other from K'Trava. I know this is a little confusing, but it would probably happen since there are about four different vales that I know of and there HAVE to be at least one or two incidents of the same name happening. I always knew that the name sounded familiar since I had started writing this, and I noticed it at about the third chapter (2nd Icewind one) and forgot to mention it before this! Sorry for the confusion!  
  
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Icewind pulled her cloak over her head more so that it felt like only a slight drizzle was hitting her face. They had been trotting for some time now, ever since they had run into the storm.  
  
She felt Kayo loosen his muscles and pick his pace up again.  
  
:Icewind, we are almost at Haven. Kara said that she notified some people at the Palace of our arrival. She also said that we will need to talk to a few different people before we are allowed to lay down for the night. Kara mentioned that we will get rooms of our own, quite like the ones we had in the vale, only these are, well, you'll see when we get there. You should talk to Kayo about this place before we enter since it will be so strange to you, since you have not read about it as I have.: With that, Rainfall closed off his mind to her and keep quite for some time while she thought about what he told her.  
  
:Kayo, what is Haven like?: She asked her companion.  
  
:It's bigger than anything you've probably ever seen before. If you look up now, you'll see what I'm talking about.:  
  
Icewind looked up as much as she dared for fear of getting soaked by the pouring rain. What she saw took her breath away. The place that was called Haven, was almost four, five or even six times as big as the vale she had just left, at least as far as Icewind could see. She could see that there were no great trees like in the vales, and it also did not have the protective barrier.  
  
Icewind could see strange things poking up beyond the farthest wall around it, and in the center, she could see a couple of large buildings, almost as big as some of the tallest trees in the vale. :Kayo, are those things in the middle where we are heading?: Icewind asked her Companion.  
  
:Yes Icewind, that is the palace and the three Collegium, although the palace and the Herald's Collegium are attached. Just as Rainfall said, you will need to talk to some people, but I'm not sure how that is going to work.: Kayo's mind voice sounded, almost confused. Icewind let him think for a moment about what was troubling him. :Well, the people of Valdemar speak a different language than you do, than the one that we are speaking now. I'm not exactly sure how you will be able to talk to all of the teachers and helpers at the Collegium, but I'm sure that since Svail and a few others can speak your language, that they will find a way, maybe even end up teaching you to speak our language.:   
  
Icewind left Kayo to his brooding and watched Haven as they rode nearer to it.  
  
The walls around Haven loomed before them and Icewind noticed two men standing outside the tunnel in the wall. They were dressed in a blue that seemed close to what the sky would be, if it had not been night, and their uniforms were trimmed with silver. They stood still until the two Companions came close enough so that they could see who was riding atop them. The two men motioned for them to enter the tunnel, but stop after getting out of the rain.  
  
The first man, the older one, spoke to Kayo and Kara, but to Icewind, the words meant nothing. She listen to the odd sounding language that the man was speaking, and surprised to hear someone answer him.  
  
"We are two Tayledras who have traveled by gate from far away. We looked for a place to rest and found a small over-grown clearing. We partially set up camp and were looking around when these two companions showed up and chose us. My friend, Icewind, does not speak this language and is very confused about the whole bit, but I am fluent and am not confused since I have read many books on your country." Rainfall told the guards while Icewind sat upon Kayo looking dumbstruck. She had not known that Rainfall had known this language, otherwise she would have learnt it from him before venturing here.  
  
"Well, Companions do not choose wrong. I'm sure that the palace has been informed of your arrival by your Companions, so I shall not stall you any longer." He said those final words, and motioned for them to continue on with their journey.  
  
Icewind was jerked out of her trance-like state when Kayo moved into his smooth trot through the streets. They did not wake anyone, since their hoof beats sounded like the chiming of soft bells, like the ones that Moondance sometimes placed in his braided hair. 'Moondance' Icewind suddenly thought of her brother, and the letter he had written her, that was now in one of the saddle bags. She missed him, but she remembered what they had talked about before leaving and reached into her heart to find him there, tucked safely away for future reference.  
  
"Surprised that I can speak their language?" Rainfall asked quietly, back in their own language. "I'm sorry I did not tell you before, but I figured you might ask about lessons and I'm not good at that sort of thing. I will leave the teaching up to the Heralds at the Collegium. you will probably learn the language too, since, supposedly not many of these people know our language."Oh" was the only response he got from her the rest of the ride through the city.  
  
The two lone riders travelled through the complicated roads of Haven and finished when they arrived at yet another tunnel of stone with two guards in front, except this time, there was a woman and a man.  
  
The woman nodded at her, and the two companions strode through the last stone wall.  
  
On the other side of the rock protection, Icewind could see a small gathering of people, who ranged in all different skin colours, hair colours, sizes and shapes. Icewind had never seen so many different looking people before. She was a normal Tayledras who only saw the faces of her fellow, look-alike Tayledras. She was used to long, white hair, slim, muscular builds, and all of the other features of her people.  
  
"Hello my friends." The one woman nearest them said in their own tongue, she had to admit, that whoever had taught her, was a good teacher, but she still lacked that certain piece to make her sound familiar. "Welcome to Valdemar and to Haven. You are standing in front of the Collegium, where we train our heralds who-"  
  
Rainfall cut her off before she could say anymore, "You only need to give that lecture to my friend, Icewind. I'm Rainfall, and I've read all about this country in books I own. I can speak your language with slight ease, but for Icewind, she is a fish out of water! She will need some training and quite a bit of help."  
  
Rainfall concluded in a smile that seemed to dazzle a certain person in the crowd behind the woman, who sighed lightly. Even though she spoke softly, Icewind could hear her sigh again and say to another, "I always figured that those stories were true about them being so beautiful, but I never thought they would be that nice!"  
  
Rainfall spoke in their language so that Icewind could not understand exactly what he was telling the others, for she may be offended about what he was sharing. "I would like to rest, would it be wrong for me to guess that the preparations could be made in the morning?"  
  
The older woman in front of them let go of her held breath, as if a large and heavy weight had been removed from her shoulders. "That would be fine. I will let Nerina show you to a free room and I will take care of, Icewind, was it?" She waved for the girl, Nerina, the one who had made the remark, to come forward.

She was wearing a simpler version of the clothes of the woman in front of them, but in a gray colour. She in turn waved to Rainfall to follow her to where he could get some rest and take care of Kara.  
  
Icewind had perked up after hearing the older woman mention her name. She watched her contently as if measuring her, when the woman seemed to like what she saw, she decided to help the poor confused girl the best she could. "You can dismount if you'd like, or you can sleep in his saddle, since I don't think that he would mind all that much really. Kayo's been lonely since all his friends had chosen, so I'm sure that he would love company with him in the field." The woman spoke to her as soft as she could manage and when Icewind dismounted from Kayo's back, she was glad that this much progress had at least been made. She motioned for the others in the group to get back to their beds and resumed working with the girl. "You can follow me to the stables so that you can let Kayo for the night."  
  
Icewind watched intently as they passed many things. There were trees here, but she could see none as tall as those grown in the vale. Icewind tried to memorize the path from where they had entered, to where the stables were, and figured that she could navigate herself fairly well if travelling back here during the day. When Icewind and the older woman lead her to the tack shed, she was able to take of the Companion's tack efficiently and brushed him down with an ease she did not know she had. 'Must be the Shin'a'in in me.' Icewind figured that her mother was finally starting to show in her, other than the features.  


"By the way, My name is Savil, and I think that I will need to be your mentor for some time while you get used to this language." Savil looked at her more closely now that she had the light from the lanterns to help show Icewind's predominant features. "You are not fully Tayledras, am I correct?"

"You are right. My father is pure Tayledras, but my mother was Shin'a'in, one from the plains. It's really quite an odd couple, but none the less-" She but cut off abruptly "But you probably don't want to know about my past."

"It seems as if you will need to reveal it whether or not I want to hear it, since it seems to be troubling you far more than you think." When Icewind stared at her dumbfounded, She added, "Kayo told my Companion, who in turn told me. I think you have much to learn. Now that Kayo is taken care of, we can go and find you a room to stay in."  
  
Svail lead Icewind into the Collegium and to a corridor lined with doors, this was strange to Icewind. She opened one of the doors revealing a small square room with a desk, fireplace, bed and bookshelf. "This room will be yours until you receive your whites, then you will move to into the Herald's wing. But enough of my babbling, you get some rest and I'll come find you in the morning. You do not have to rise when, or if, you hear the bell for waking, that's for the other trainees and you needn't worry. Until the morning" Savil left her standing their looking at the wooden door. Icewind around the room and noticed that they had left a nightgown on the bed for her. They had guessed her size right, since it fit nicely with some breathing room for her. She laid down on the bed and found that it was really quite soft.  
  
Icewind tossed and turned for what seemed candle marks and finally decided that it was the height and the constant sway of the room that she missed. She pulled the covers off and slipped on her normal clothes before exiting the room. Icewind snuck down the hall and out of the Collegium. She jogged to Companion's Field and called for Kayo. Both he and Jana arrived at the fence. Jana had flown off after arriving at the Collegium and Icewind was surprised to see her bond bird come to a mind call so low in pitch.  
  
:Bond mate unhappy! Tired! Sleep, now!: Jana said to her cooing softly.  
  
:She is not used to the bed she was presented. You may sleep out here with me if you'd like. Or, if you'd prefer, I could manipulate that tree over there so you could sleep soundly until morning.: Kayo motioned with his head to a tree nearby that was, quite tall.  
  
"I think I'll take the tree." Icewind said climbing over the fence and shimmying up the tree. When she had found her perfect branch, Kayo used his Mage-powers, the kind she had seen her brother and father use, on the tree branch which she had perched herself above. The branch quivered slightly and in minutes, the branch had been cupped so that Icewind could easily sleep in it, without having any muscles cramp during the night.  
  
"Now there is only one problem, I forgot my blankets, but that can be solved." Icewind concentrated on seeing the blankets land in her lap and was rewarded by feeling the soft cloth slide across her hand. She was down the trunk and into the miss-matched bed of hers before Kayo and Jana could even say their good-nights.  
  
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As some of you may know, or not know, I have taken the very last part of the chapter out and it is now the beginning of the next chapter! :) Please review!


	8. Many New Faces

Just to let you all know, I took part of the last chapter and added it onto this one because I did not like it there and I wanted to expand on it. So, that part was taken off the last chapter and added to this one. :) By the way, more Avalon chapters are on their way. That is, as soon as I can get them all typed out on my computer! Lol! Well, here is the chapter.  
  
P.S. By the time this chapter is up, I may have those other chapters, since I cannot put this up until April 19 since I supposedly did something wrong on fanfiction.net and they blocked some of my things! Sorry!  
  
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Icewind woke with a sudden rush when she heard the voice of a male below her. She suddenly felt disoriented, but soon remembered that she was in the tree, outside of the Collegium. She pushed the blankets away and quickly slid down the tree gracefully, before the boy, about sixteen, could even say another word to her.  
  
"Who are you and what in Haven's name were you doing in that tree!?" He spoke to her in the other language and when she cocked her head slightly to the left and looked confused and innocent, he added, "Are you deaf?" He looked frustrated, and Icewind could see why. He was talking to her in a language she had yet to learn and expected her to know what he was asking her about.  
  
:Morning lovely,: Kayo said. Icewind glanced over her shoulder and saw that her companion was walking towards her and the boy. Kayo's eyes were half closed and he shook himself once he stopped, beside his chosen. :He asked you what you were doing in that tree of ours.: He yawned and shook his head again.  
  
Icewind laughed at his comment and the boy groped for words that didn't seem to want to come. At that moment, Savil turned up just behind him and rested her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Bright Havens child, there you are!" She said in the Tayledras tongue. "Icewind, this is my newest protégée, and nephew, Vanyel Ashkevron. He does not speak this language yet, so you don't have to worry about him understanding any private conversations that we might have in the future." Savil smiled at Icewind.  
  
She turned to Vanyel, and spoke to him in the language that he would understand "Vanyel, this is one of the two new trainees that came in last night. Her name Icewind, and her Companion's Kayo. She does not speak our language, so do not bother trying to talk to her until she learns our language or you learn hers. She is Tayledras, you know the kind of people who I always talk about. I have a collection of their masks in my room, you should remember them."  
  
At that, Vanyel seemed to get why Icewind had looked so funny when he had spoken to her. He blushed a light crimson and muttered an apology to Savil about the way he had treated the new trainee. He walked off when she dismissed him and turned to Icewind.  
Icewind watched him walk away closely. He intrigued her and she wanted to know more about him, which she would, in time. But for right now, she needed to learn their language so she could talk to him.  
  
"Now begins your long and tedious training." She said when the boy was out of sight and Icewind had turned her attention back to her teacher.  
  
"What do you mean long and tedious? Am I supposed to learn everything that you can cram into my mind? If so, you'd be better of with me leaving and just training Rainfall!" Icewind joked around about training, even thought she knew that she too could probably hold out learning a lot.  
  
"Well, that is not exactly what I meant there. I mean that since you cannot speak my language, I have made it so that you will have only three classes a day, for now, until you learn to speak it. You will have weapons training with Kayla, language with me, and another language class with another of my trainees. I taught him to speak in the Tayledras tongue a while back and offered to help. His name is Tylendel." She explained to her that the boy was 'different' form the others and when Icewind quickly caught on to what she was hinting at, she dropped that subject.  
  
"Does the woman Kayla speak my language?" Icewind thought that Savil had said that only about two or so people knew this language.  
  
"No, she does not know your language." Icewind opened her mouth to talk but Savil waved as if to say that she was still explaining. "I talked to her today and we agreed that Kayo will stand near the practice ring so that as Kayla says something, he will translate it quickly for you. This way is much quicker than if we waited for you to learn my language."  
  
"That much is true, and I guess that is alright with me, as long as I am not intruding on anyone else's time."  
  
"It has all been worked out, and all the schedules have been changed. But, before we get into the lesson with me, we need to get some other things out of the way." Savil lead Icewind into the building and they went to work getting Icewind all set up.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
After getting sized for foot wear and clothes, being assigned to her room, having the time table approved, grabbing two quick meals, and being introduced to many different people, Icewind felt like the whole day had passed her by.  
  
"Are you ready for you last class? Tylendel will probably have been waiting for some time now." When Icewind looked at her as if she had just been whacked with a board, Savil added, "You know that we have only just entered the second afternoon faze. You still have enough time for most of your lesson with my student."  
  
"Oh. Well then, let's not keep him waiting any longer!" Icewind gathered her wits and followed Savil.  
  
The older Herald led Icewind to her own rooms, where a young boy, about eighteen was laying lazily on a couch. When he heard the door creak as it used up the last of the hinge's opening capacity, he jumped to his feet and walked briskly over to them.  
  
Icewind looked him over with a curious eye. He was handsome, and she could see why Savil had warned her about not getting attached to him. He had lovely curly, blond hair and fascinating brown eyes that any girl could get lost in. And when he smiled and offered his hand for a sturdy shake, she was amazed. 'And those girls thought that we Tayledras people were a wonder to look at!' Icewind smiled back at him and noted that he was someone she could come to want as a good friend.  
  
"My name is Tylendel and I will help Herald Savil with helping you learn our domestic language." He smiled again, "and I believe that you are Icewind, right?"  
  
"Absolutely correct. Shall we get started? I'd love to learn this language, then I'll be able to tell what people are saying about me and what my friend Rainfall has been saying about me!" Icewind returned his smile and he laughed.  
  
"Well, I can tell you that none of it is as bad as you might think, or I would have heard it by now!" Tylendel motioned with his hand to the worn couch he had just been on, and the small wooden table that was in front of it, "Would you like to join me?"  
  
"Certainly." Icewind followed him and they sat and talked at first, and teaching soon followed.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
" I knew that placing her with you would turn out good." Savil said as she turned away from the window, where she had just been watching Icewind joyfully walk to her room. "It seems that she really opened up to you."  
  
"That is very true, I'm just hoping that opening up won't lead to something else." Tylendel stood to her immediate right, and slightly behind. He looked a little worried but he brushed it off when she put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"You don't have to worry about breaking another heart my dear, I talked to her before we came here about your preferences. I would think that she would have opened up even more had I not." She patted his shoulder and moved her hand back to her side to scratch at an itch on her left side.  
  
"I'm very glad of that," He let out a quick breath of gratitude for her thoughtfulness. "I would hate to bring another young girl a sad and heavy heart."  
  
"I know 'Lendel, I know." Savil smiled at him briefly. "You should get some rest, just because she doesn't have to rise at the sound of the bell, does not me that you can sleep in as well!" She pushed him softly towards his room.  
  
Tylendel laughed and grudgingly walked towards his room and his awaiting bed.  
  
'At least one of my worries is taken care of. I wonder how Icewind's friend made out.' Savil turned to the window again and saw that Icewind had stopped and sat down on the grass to read a letter she had pulled out of her pocket. She shook her head and left the window to seek her own warm bed.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
When Icewind left the Herald's rooms, after her lesson with Tylendel, she remembered that she held the letter from her brother in her pocket of the new clothes she had been given. Her new clothes were gray, like the girls she had met the other day, the one who had been attracted to Rainfall. Tylendel also had the same clothes, as did a rather large bunch of other students she had seen around the place. She figured that most of the Herald trainees wore them. But, she had also seen some faded green outfits, as well as some blue and red ones. She was unsure about those, but she thought they might be for rank, or abilities, but that was way out of her reach, at least in the way of information, so far.  
  
Icewind pulled out the large letter from her pocket and sat of the soft grass. She opened the letter and found that most of the bulge was from a gift that he had managed to stuff into it. She looked at the gift and noticed that it was something she had always had her eye on, copies of the music that he used to play her as young child, when he still had a lot of time to spend with her. She looked and noticed that it was all her favorites, and they were also all of the ones that she had managed to learn herself.  
  
She placed the music on her knee and opened the one-page letter he had actually written her.  
  
Dear Icewind,  
  
I know you always loved those pieces of music and wanted to make sure that you had them, always, even if you don't have an instrument to play them on. I would have given you my lute, if it would have fit into this letter. But, as we all know, that is not possible. I will always have my lute out in the open, in case you ever come home and want it, and I don't happen to be there. I also thought of something else, if you ever find someone with a Fetching Gift, which for some odd reason has been to our Tayledras vale, ask them to do this favor for you. Ask them to bring the lute for you, and put a note in the same spot that says that you have received it and I will then know. Well, I must be going as you want to leave the vale as I write away on this piece of paper. I guess I'll see you some time.  
  
Love, your brother, Moondance.  
  
Icewind sat, stunned. She had the gift of Fetching and he said that the lute was hers for the taking. She needed to get a piece of paper and a writing utensil so that she could get the lute and let him know that she had it. This was going to be a hard task, and she was probably going to waste herself down to almost nothing.  
  
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Well? I know it's quite long, but I couldn't figure out where to stop! :) Anyway, please review and I'll try to get the two new Avalon chapters up soon! 


	9. A Bardic Hero

Hey, chapter 6 on Icewind! Another Avalon chapter is on its way! It will be put on as soon as I type it out on one of my computers! :) Anyway, here's the story!

P.S. Thank you all who reviewed me and told me that I messed up on my Weaponsmasters. I had figured this out on my own, since I printed out a copy of that chapter to take home and edit. I DID find that mistake on my own before anyone reviewed me, but could not fix it since I edited it while I was trying to get to sleep.... lol. Anyway the problem was that my family computer is in my parent's Bedroom and they were asleep when I noticed that! Sorry for not fixing it sooner than I did, and again thank you all for reminding me! Please continue with the help if I ever do mess up again! :)

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Icewind quickly ran to her room, where she sat down on her chair, in front of her desk. She grabbed a piece of paper, a pen and bottle of ink from her drawers. She set the paper down and put a light paperweight on the left corner. Jana had followed her in and now perched herself on one of the bed's posts.

Icewind pondered for a few moments, and then wrote her letter,

Dear Moondance,

I read your letter, thank you for the music, I'll treasure it for all time. I'm 

sorry for leaving so quickly, and now I almost regret it, in a way. Well, I 

have to tell yo something! I've been Chosen! I know you don't know what 

that means but, it's something like when we bond with our birds. My 

Companion, who is a spirit in a horse's body, is named Kayo, and Rainfall 

got Chosen as well! Isn't it wonderful? Well, anyway, I need to tell you 

something. When Rainfall and I got to Valdemar, we found out that I, me! 

Had a Fetching Gift! Me! Of all people in this land! Me! Well, as you may 

know now, I have gotten 'my' lute as you told me to do. I'll try to send 

letters often, but I know that it may not be easy. I'll talk to you again, I know it.

Love, you sister,

Icewind

Icewind picked up the letter and made a makeshift envelope out of another piece of paper. She quickly closed it with a drop of wax and a push of her thumb on the wax, which left her fingerprint molded into it. This was how she, her brother and their friends had closed their letters.

Icewind silently ran through the halls of the Collegium and exited the doors. She ran to Companion's Field and met Kayo there. Jana flew off to find a last minute snack and Icewind explained what she was doing to her Companion.

:Icewind, you know this is dangerous." Kayo nudged her arm with his soft nose.

:Yes Kayo, I know what I'm doing. Is it possible for you to help me?: Icewind hoped that Kayo could send power, or something of that nature, to her.

:Yes, it is possible. And I shall do it, but it will still be a strain.: Kayo nodded his head and Icewind smiled slightly.

"Then we start now." She spoke aloud. Icewind did as rainfall had taught her. She Looked in her mind for the lute that Moondance had left out and Spotted where it would be. She linked with Kayo and they began.

Icewind pulled with all her might and she could feel power draining from her. Then, as her resources drew to an all time low, she heard a popping sound and looked down at her hands. There, perfectly tuned and polished, was her brother's lute, not o be her lute. Now, kayo filled her reserves again and they tried sending the not back to Moondance.

Icewind had not done this type of thing before and her reserves again went low. Kayo used all his energy and refilled it again. This time, the energy went out of her with a snap and she was knocked out instantly, and Kayo soon followed. Jana, who was flying over head, also got the feeling from the bond with Icewind and dropped, bringing the newly caught mouse down as well.

Icewind lay semi-conscious for some time when she woke slightly. She opened her eyes and she gasped as she saw stars and her face drained of all colour. In her hand, the letter was no more, at least she succeeded in sending it.

In the next moment, she was unconscious again, and did not wake again for the rest of the night.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Bard-Trainee Kaydence walked along the side of Companion's Field in the forested area. He needed something to write about. He needed a song to help him be noticed. Kaydence knew this area off-by-heart, after all, he did come here at least once a week. His current assignment, the one that he had been working on for almost three moon, was to write a song, one that could capture the attention of an audience and keep it.

Kaydence was about to turn around and walk back to his room in the Bardic Collegium, when he heard a whimper from behind a small bundle of trees. He climbed over the fence, carefully, since he was wearing one of his good sets of clothes, and walked over to the trees. what he found, astounded him.

Before his feet, was a Companion, Herald-Trainee and a large snowy owl. The owl was up, jumping and wooing frantically. When it saw him, it screeched and was about to move in on him, when the Trainee moaned again. the bird flew lightly over to her side and nudged her face with her beak.

The Companion was unconscious, and laying on the Trainee's leg, most likely, her ankle was broken. At least, that was how it looked when Kaydence noticed that it was turned in an awkward way.

He wondered how this had happened, and wondered how none of the other Companions didn't know about it. Usually, they knew what each other was doing and where they were. Shouldn't at least one of them know about him?

When the Trainee moaned again, he looked down to find that the owl was using its beak to pull at his rusty coloured robes. It was pulling him towards the girl, who lay underneath her Companion.

"Alright owl, I shall help." He motioned with his hand for the owl to move out of the way, and it did, much to his surprise. He walked briskly over to the girl and Companion. He knelt down and studied the situation. Since Bards had to travel on their own, they each learned a little about healing.

Kaydence looked down onto he girl and saw that her face was almost as white as her Companion's coat. She needed a healer, and fast! Kaydence pushed the sleeves of his robe up over his muscular arms, and pushed, with all his might, the Companion. He slid off quite smoothly, but Kaydence was still tired from pushing that weight. As he had removed the Companion, the Trainee had whimpered profusely.

Kaydence stood and the owl wooed at him, as if to complain about his actions. Kaydence bent over and picked the Trainee up in his arms, and walked further into Companion's Field.

It wasn't long before he spotted a group of about five other Companions. He walked up to them and said, "My friends, Kayo, one of your own, has been hurt. He is over there by those trees." He nodded with his head towards the area he had just come from. The Companions seemed to converse among themselves and soon two of them Cantered off towards their comrade.

Kaydence was about to walk away when one Companion walked up to him and turned sideways. It motioned for him to mount. When it realized that the Bard-Trainee would have a hard time mounting with the Herald-Trainee in his arms, it knelt down.

Kaydence swung his leg over the Companion's body, and it rose, carrying him with it. the remaining two went to the sides of him and Kaydence held onto the Companion's Mane with his free hand, the other holding tightly onto the other Trainee.

The Companion first started at a slow trot, but soon went into a smooth canter. The three Companions and two Trainees cantered across the field and they soon came to a fence. Instead of turning and following it until a break was found, the Companion's muscles tensed underneath him and he knew that they were going to jump the fence. They cantered up to it and swiftly they leapt over the obstacle and kept on going. In the process, Kaydence hit his face on the Companion's neck, causing what would be a black eye for him.

The Companions raced across the lawns of the palace and Collegium and soon halted at the front of the House of Healing. People had gathered when they saw the companions go by and as soon as they had halted, a slightly older man came up to them and took the Herald-Trainee from his arms. The man ran into the House of Healing as Kaydence slowly dismounted from the Companion's back and followed, hoping to get something for his eye before it got too bad.

He also wanted to know how the girl would be. He hoped she would be alright.

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Interesting? I tried to make it suspenseful, but I highly doubt that I succeeded in that! Well, please review and tell me what you think! Next Avalon chapter will hopefully but up soon! :)


	10. Fetching Disorder

Hello again, sorry for the long wait to get another chapter on this fic! I've been really busy with school work since I only have about 11 days left of school right now. I have to tell you all, that this is the last chapter I will post, until De can catch up with my postings, since her chapters are supposed to be between mine, and right now, she needs about 4 more chapters until I can post again! So please don't be mad if the chapters come up slowly from now on! Thanks!

P.S. De and I have been contemplating the two long reviews we have had, one making comments on the story, and the other making comments on that review. We have been discussing mainly the review part number five. In this part, Cat McDougall said that Vanyel was the first Ashkevron to be chosen, and Herald Tagnolia said that it was not stated in the books who was exactly the first. I must point out that if there was ever a first to be said, it would have been Herald Savil, since she IS an Ashkevron..... I thought that these reviewers might want to see this, thanks for reading this extra!

Kaydence gazed out the window of his room in the Bardic Collegium. It had been five days since he had saved the girl in Companion's Field. He had learned from the Healers that her name was Herald-Trainee Icewind. When he had learned that, he realized that the reason she had looked so different, was because she was not from around here.

Kaydence looked away from the window and looked towards his paper covered desk. His encounter with the girl had made him concentrate even harder on his assignment. It was as if she had spurred something in him that he was now harnessing and using to write his ballad.

He examined the song so far and sang it softly. He had two perfected verses and loved them.

_"What has touched me, reaching deep_

_Piercing my ensorceled sleep?_

_Darkling lady, do you weep?_

_Am I the cause of your grieving?_

_ Why do tears of balm and bane_

_ Bathe my heart with bitter rain?_

_What is this longing? Why this pain?_

_What is this spell you are weaving?"_

_"Sunlight singer, Morning's peer-_

_ How I long for what I fear!_

_ Not by my will are you here_

_ How I wish I could free you!_

_ Gladly in your arms I'd lie_

_ But I dare not come to you nigh_

_ For if you touch me, I shall die_-

_If I were wise I would flee you."_

Kaydence paused, this was where he had stopped. The girls' influence seemed to be wearing off. He **had** to see her again. '_I'll go see her now!_' Kaydence lightened up and knew that Icewind **had** to have something to do with his life, he just knew it!

Kaydence opened the door and found his current lover in front of him. She looked dazed and her eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

"Kirsi, it's wonderful to see you, but what brings you to my room at this time with such grief surrounding you?" Kaydence **never** saw her this early in the morning. She was a noble and usually spent her mornings with the servants and her many sisters.

She looked more closed up than normal and her usual brightness had faded. She wore a sullen mask upon her face that let no emotion but pain and sorrow through. "I've been hearing things, and the last thing, that my sister told me, kept me up all night long. I came to get answers Kaydence," She paused for a moment to catch her shaky breath. "Did you, or not, save a female Herald-Trainee?"

"I did, but wha-" She cut him off in mid sentence.

Tears welled up in her eyes when he spoke those words. "People have been telling me that you're seeing her now, as well as seeing me!" Kirsi let out silent and racking sobs, and Kaydence pulled her into his room.

He shut the wooden door, and locked it, and led her to the bed he had in the corner of his room. His room-mate was out and that was just as well since he did not want anyone but the two of them knowing the things that he was about to say to her.

"Kirsi, I would do no such thing! That is for the lowly scum outside of the city, who cheat on their loving wives and families, not for a respected Bard-Trainee, like myself!" He wiped some of the tears from her cheeks and smiled slightly. "Also, my dear, it is clearly not possible, since she has not even woken from the deep sleep that I found her in!" She looked up at him and gave a weak laugh when she realize how stupid the idea was, after contemplating it for a few moments inside of her head.

"I'm so glad that it's not nearly as bad I thought it was, you only save her life. You're a hero!" She smiled at him and her spirit brightened a great deal. "I'll have to tell my sisters this good news!"

Kaydence smiled, but knew he had to add something. "Kirsi, I must tell you something though." With his words, she darkened slightly. "You know my ballad that I said I would dedicate to you when I finished it?" She nodded. "Well, I got my inspiration from that encounter and it would not be right to dedicate it to you, so I must tell you that it will not be dedicated to you, not even to the Trainee, but to no one. I thought that I could not live with you if I kept that secret from you."

She let out a breath. "That it all right, I thought you were going to say something like you are lifebonded to some one or in love with another bard, since that is quite likely, or so I'm told, at our age, especially in your position." She smiled. "I thought I was going to get a broken heart!"

They both rose at the same time and Kaydence laughed lightly, "No my dear, nothing like that." She walked to the door, and he followed, steps behind. She paused after opening the door and turned to him. "I'm glad that you told me the truth about the song you are writing. I know how it wold have eaten you if you had not told me and gone through with not dedicating it." She smiled again. He smiled back.

At that moment, Kaydence's head spun and he felt like he was floating, falling and flying, all at the same moment, what was wrong with him? Was he dying from poison, or magic? Was he fainting? The world around him went black, then white, them black again. He kept having a sense that he was spinning, and that he would be spinning forever, that's when it all stopped and he closed his eyes, afraid of what might be in front of him.

Kirsi was standing outside of Kaydence's room when he started to fall towards her, as if he had blacked out, standing in the door frame. She reached out to grab him and support his fall, but as she ran back to him, he vanished, vanished completely from sight, even the piece of parchment that he had been holding in his hand.

She was startled for moments afterward and stood there, gaping at the room and the empty spot that had just held her lover.

After standing for many awkward moments, she collapsed and fell to her knees. She screamed and she could hear bard from all around jump out of their beds, had they been sleeping, or could hear them run to the door of their own room. Almost all at once, five other bards opened their doors, some with room mates, some with lovers, and some alone.

The girl across the hall, who was alone, ran to her side and knelt down, that seemed to set all the others off and they gathered round to help her. It was the girl from across the hall who spoke first.

"What happened Kirsi? Where's Kaydence, is he in the room?" When she heard her own name, that was when she realized exactly who she was being held by. I was one of the older Bardic-Trainees, one named Shelly.

Between sobs, she managed to tell the horrible story about Kaydence's disappearance. When she was done, she was slightly calmer, and Shelly moved her into Kaydence's room, just as Lirit, Kaydence's room mate, ran up to them.

"The whole palace is in an uproar! People are going missing here and there! We are needed to help sooth people with our music! Hurry!" He was pushing through the crowd as they all started to retreat quickly towards their rooms, to grab what was needed. Lirit stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Kirsi being lead into his room by Shelly. "What happened here....." He was about to say more, but realized something that he was not going to share and he stopped moving at all. He paled, almost as white as a Companion's coat and turned to Shelly. "Kaydence vanished, didn't he?"

Shelly shook her head yes and Lirit took off out of the room, at top speed.

Kaydence stood on something solid, but was too afraid to look. When he eventually heard voices around him, he opened them, to find a very awkward mess. He was in a medium sized room, a healer's patient's room, and there was chaos all around him. There were people all around him, and more were coming in as well, although most were Healers.

There was a Herald, in white, beside the bed, who looked as if she were draining herself to control the girl in the bed. The girl, now that was one person he recognized. The girl in the bed, was Icewind, the Herald-Trainee that he had saved, only days ago. Also around the room, were more healers, most of them were taking are of dazed people who had probably been brought here, as he had. There was a young man in one corner, who had medium-length black hair, and he was wearing the normal clothes of a Valdemarian. The other younger man was another foreigner, with long brown hair, with, oddly enough, some gray hairs starting to show, who was wearing the Herald-Trainee uniform. There was another Herald-Trainee, but she was being lead out of the room before he could get a good look at her.

Finally, also beside the bed holding Icewind, was a Companion, her Companion Kayo. Kaydence paused for a moment. '_Kayo_' He thought about the name, how had he known what the Companion's name was? Was that even his name? Kaydence shook his head. '_Someone must have mentioned his name to me when I brought Icewind here. I couldn't have known that on my own._'

At that moment, another being entered the room, via appearing spontaneously. It was another Companion, this time, it was a female Companion. The Herald-Trainee who had not been removed from the room, ran to her and made soothing sounds, for the Companion was obviously very confused. She seemed to calm down and was getting a normal breathing pattern again.

The Herald bedside Icewind, sighed and backed away from the girl. "That should hold her from now on. I don't was this kind of this happening again. My niece is probably having a cow right as we speak. I was talking to her when Icewind fetched me here." The Herald shook her head.

"Aunt Savil, why did she pick us to bring here?" The black haired one said.

"Well, I think because she has met us before and made a connection with feeling safe with us around. She was having a nightmare and was slipping out of her deep sleep as it went on. This left her gifts run wild and uncontrolled, so she accidently brought here, things that she recognized." As, who must be Herald Savil, motioned to the room, Kaydence noticed that there were many different objects around the room, one of which was a finely carved lute, which caught his eye. when he stepped towards the lute, the woman spoke again. "Although,3 I do not know who you are lad." The Herald must have meant him.

One of the Healers explained his connection with the Trainee. "He was the one who found Trainee Icewind in Companion's Field and brought her here. If not for him, she would probably not have lived to this day. She must have associated him with a savior, and thus brought him here, thinking that maybe he could again help her."

"That would make sense. Young man, you are a Bard-Trainee? What is your name?" She wanted these answers to come from his mouth, and not the Healer's.

"Yes, I am with the Bardic Collegium. I'm Bard-Trainee Kaydence." He replied with dignity.

"Alright then," She turned to the Herald-Trainee. "You and Kaydence stay here with Icewind. I'm thinking that she would know you two the best and be fine if at least one of you stayed. From what that last Trainee told me, the Palace and Collegia are full of frantic people, and I must go make sure that it is taken care of. Vanyel," She motioned for the black haired boy. "I want to you continue with your classes today, unless you do not feel up to them from this experience." She bowed her head at the Healer. "I shall return once all is settled." With that, she left, Vanyel following after.

"Well, I have a feeling that this is going to be a long day." The Herald-Trainee said to him, and he sat in a chair that the Healers had brought in. He also ha the feeling that this was going to be a long day.

What do you think? Good? Bad? Well, please review because I think that rushed through some of these parts a little too fast and think that I should have split it into two different chapters and expanded on my ideas a little more. Please tell me what your opinions are! Thanks, will update soon, hopefully!


	11. Past, Present, and even a little Future ...

Well, I decided to put up another chapter to this fic, even though I said in m last one that I wouldn't until De got me some of her chapters. The only problem with this is, she lives in another town than me, one that is about 15 mins away (driving), and I can't get convince my parents to drive me there, just to get some chapters! Lol. Well, I'm hoping that my one friend, who sees De everyday, will get them from her, and then give them to me.

So until then, I was wondering if you think that I should just continue on with the fic, and just add her chapters whenever I get them. what do you think? Please give me your answers in a review, or you can e-mail me the answer (it's on my profile page!) And I'll tally up the scores of Yes and No, then get back to you. This is best, because it is you guys who are reading it, I'm just writing! Thanks!

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Kaydence looked around the medium sized room, it was littered with items that Icewind had thought that she might need. The other boy, the Herald-Trainee, was sorting through them.

"I don't see why she brought some of these things here. I can understand the items that have emotional value, but some of these things have no meaning, as far as I can tell." the boy looked up at Kaydence. "So, you're the one who saved her the other day, Kaydence, right?"

"Yes, I was wandering near Companion's Field, and noticed her, an owl, and her Companion." Kaydence jumped slightly as Icewind's Companion shifted, and the floor creaked under the weight.

"Owl, oh, you mean Jana. Was the owl a bit oversized and completely white, except a few feather tips which are black?" When Kaydence nodded in astonishment, the boy added, "That was no ordinary bird, my friend. Have you not heard that the _Tayledras_ have Bond birds, which are smarter, and large than the normal species?"

"Now that you mention it, I do remember reading that somewhere while studying the few books that we have on your type. So that owl that I saw, was Icewind's Bond bird, not some lunatic bird that for some odd reason seemed to care about a human?" Kaydence grinned slightly when he noticed how stupid he must seem to the other boy.

"Right, Jana, Icewind's Bond bird. The one who is hiding under the bed at this very moment. Bond birds are very sensitive to certain things, like being gated somewhere, or being fetched, in this case. She's a little shaken." He motioned with his free hand to the little lump at the base of the bed skirt, one that Kaydence had not noticed. "Oh, by the way, my name is Rainfall."

Kaydence shook Rainfall's outstretched hand. "I'm assuming that when Icewind came to Valdemar, you came as well, and that is how you two know each other so well?"

"Yes. It was all Icewind's idea to come here. She didn't feel right in the vale, so she decided, with her brother's help, that she would gate out of the vale, and go to Valdemar. I told her that I'd always wanted to go to Valdemar, and she invited me to come." Rainfall said between investigating a small piece of wood, and a large pile of papers. "Interesting, these are sheets of music."

Kaydence walked up to rainfall and took the sheets from his hand, and flipped through them. "I've never seen these songs before. The language is different, also, do you think that she brought them here with her?"

"I'm not sure, she didn't say anything about bringing music with her. Or a lute either." Rainfall bent, and picked up the finely carved lute that was lying on the floor. "This looks like the lute that her brother has, or maybe now it's had."

"I think that that last pretense is the right one. I don't think that someone could master this kind of workmanship twice, and have them both look this way. The detail on this lute is exquisite." Kaydence was lost in awe, the lute was magnificent, it's carvings amazing in detail, and it's sound perfect.

On the front of the lute, was a carved picture of a patch of lilies, surrounded by plants of all shapes and sizes. A lone strand of ivy wound around the sound hole, and then up and around the fretboard. On the back of the lute, the carvings were even more delicate. The image on the back, depicted an older man, most likely _Tayledras_, sitting on a large stone, playing his own lute, to a few small children, who were also most likely _Tayledras_. The carvings were finely detailed, and Kaydence couldn't see a place where even a leaf or stone looked to be out of place. The varnish kept the lute in tip-top shape, and it had no scratches, holes, or any other marks on it. The carver had even signed his name on the tip of the head, using the stroking pattern to disguise it in the ivy.

"This lute is amazing! Who could have created it with such precision, and not have gone insane with worry of destroying it?" Kaydence looked up at Rainfall, who was smiling, holding back laughter, at how awe-struck Kaydence looked.

"Why, Icewind's brother made it when he was a young boy. Icewind told me that he spent hours on it, day and night. He tried to finish it for his mother's last birthday, before she passed away, but ended up only having the front and the back half finished. Icewind told me that he strung it anyway, and played it for her while she lay in bed crying. She also told me that their mother told him to keep it, because she would not live long, and she wanted him to spread her cheer, with the lute, to all who would listen to him play." Rainfall sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

"Moondance would love your complement, he always enjoyed getting praise for it, it was his finest work." Rainfall looked down again at Kaydence. "He stopped carving after his mother died, partly because of sadness, and partly because his Mage Gift had started to show and he was too busy training. It was too bad that he had to get that darn Gift, he would have been a wonderful carver, the people of the vale would have all had his pieces, but you can't change that past, can you?"

"No," Kaydence paused and looked at Icewind, who was laying on the bed, pale, but more colourful than when he had saved her. "How long ago did she pass away?"

"Oh, years ago, I'm not even sure when, but Icewind was small, and she can't remember much about her mother now." Rainfall looked in the direction where Kaydence's eyes had wandered.

"How sad, I can see why she may have had some problems. Living without a parent can severely damage a child. My parents are both wealthy guilds people, living out in the city in that large house of theirs." Kaydence thought about his slightly greedy parents, and how worse off he might be if he had not had both throughout his life.

"Well, to Icewind, it was like living without any parents. Her mother died while she was young, like I said before, and her father was someone who is a little stereotypical. He didn't really care much for Icewind, since she did not have the Mage Gift, actually, at that point she didn't even have a Gift at all." Rainfall looked back into his wealth of memories, and examined the one when Icewind and he had discovered her Gift.

"Oh, that would have been horrible, living without parents that is." Kaydence looked back at Rainfall, and set the lute down beside the chairs that Herald Savil had had brought in for them to sit down on. That was when he remembered something that he had read in one of the books about the _Tayledras_. "Rainfall, I thought that most _Tayledras_ don't leave their vales, not for anything."

"True, but I felt that this was something that some _Tayledras_ should do sometime, so I went on an adventure. I'm really glad that I came, poor Icewind would have to get through this all by herself, well with only you. Icewind on the other hand, is not entirely _Tayledras_. She is half _Shin'a'in _and half_ Tayledras_, and she had a tenancy to want to move, and keep moving. She doesn't like being in one spot for a large amount of time. this life will be good for her, always moving, being on circuit, and all." Rainfall smiled.

"Oh, well that makes sense. Her features are different from yours, and I figured that one of you were also part something else." Kaydence looked back and fourth between them a few times. To him, they look only slightly different, but to someone else who is more familiar with these people, could probably see a lot of difference.

"Yes, she's the different one, although the difference is minuscule. Anyway, enough about me and Icewind, what about you? All I know about you is that your name is Kaydence, you're a Bard, whatever that is, and that your parents live in town in a large house." Rainfall looked curious. Maybe Kaydence and he would get along really well, they both seemed interested in a lot of different things, and always want to learn.

"A Bard is someone who plays music very well, and we also have a very interesting attribute, we can make it so that when we sing, we can project those thoughts into ones mind. It soothes people in some circumstances, like one is emotionally hurt, we can project the feeling of happiness to them, and make them feel better. Do you get what I'm trying to tell you?"

"I guess that I get it. It's some what like when a person has Empathy, and they can project an emotion, and make that person swing one way or another, right?" Rainfall was trying to compare things to try and make it easier for him to comprehend.

"Somewhat, but we are not as strong. Anyway, I grew here in Haven, so I am used to the big city. I've never been outside of the walls that surround the capital. I am nearly seventeen, and I've been at the Bardic Collegium for around five years. I have no siblings, and any other relatives are too far away to know about." Kaydence let go of the breath he was holding when he saw Rainfall nod his head.

"You have an interesting life. I, like I've said, and Rainfall, from K'Sheyna vale. I'm sixteen years of age, I have both parents, and one very young female sibling back with my parents." Rainfall looked over to Icewind, "And that is Icewind, also form K'Sheyna vale, she has one older brother and no other siblings. she used to live with her father and brother before coming here. she's fifteen years old."

"You also have an interesting life, my friend, as does Icewind." Kaydence looked over to the girl in the bed.

"You like her, don't you, Kaydence?"

"I'm.... I'm not sure really. Sometimes I think I do, yet there are times, I don't think I do. It's all very confusing for me." Kaydence looked down at Rainfall, he was taller by a few inches. "I'll tell you when I know, since it seems that you are worried about her so much. You..... you don't like her, do you?"

"Not that way, no. and yes, I do care about her a lot and I would like to know, since I think that you won't tell her right when you find out if you do or don't. Am I right about that?" Rainfall grinned.

"Yes, you are right, but lets stop talking about all this serious stuff. Why don't I take this lute, and play some of these songs that are in your language. Mind you, I won't be able to sing, I'll just play, and I won't be that good, they are different than our songs, and I'm only sight reading for the first time!" Kaydence picked up the lute again, and sat down on one of the chairs, although wooden, they were comfortable.

"Fine with me, I can't even do that much!" Rainfall sat beside him on the other chair.

Kaydence pulled up the music onto his lap, and played over the notes in his head. When he got the just of the piece, he started to play, and the feeling of sadness and worry floated away.

Kaydence thought while he played. Yes, the two of them were going to get along quite well.


End file.
